A Day Apart
by SaltyJak
Summary: Vicky heads to the Mall with Tootie and ends up being the designated third wheel, and learns something about herself that she'd rather not.


A/N: A sort of sequel fic to 'Party's Over', inspired by an episode of 'Scrubs' though I don't remember the episode title, or even everything about it. Also, I'm late, I apologize for this, a lot of people say things like 'Life happens'... Yep. It surely does.

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><p>"Vicky! You planning on sleeping all day?!"<p>

"Evidently not, now that you've woken me up..." Vicky mumbled so only she could hear.

"It's already one!" Tootie pounded on her sister's door. She was content letting her sleep in, but their parents told Tootie that Vicky had to get up, so Tootie was tasked with waking up her sister, the person who most people feared to even look at, lest they be stricken from existence.

"I really don't care what time it is, I'm retired, which means I can sleep in for as long as I like."

"Just because you're retired at twenty-two and _can_ sleep in as long as you want, doesn't mean you _should_. Now get up, Mom and Dad asked me to wake you up, and I'm meeting AJ in half an hour!"

"Ugh! Fine!" _"I thought when you retired you got to do whatever you want! Like sleep in!" _Vicky threw the covers off herself and got dressed, though she wore a light green jacket along with her normal attire, it was still somewhat chilly in Dimmsdale.

She whipped her door open and glared at her sister. "Happy?"

Tootie stood in front of her sister, arms crossed. She wore a black jacket over a purple shirt and black jeans, hand-me-downs from Vicky, she finally decided to get contacts after some encouragement by AJ. "I'll be happy when I'm with my boyfriend. Why do you insist on sleeping in so late? And how come your hair isn't in a ponytail? You always wear it like that."

"One, I'm retired, I may occasionally take on a job here or there for the money, but I prefer to stay home and relax. Two, _my_ boyfriend happens to like it when I wear my hair down." Vicky flicked Tootie's pigtails for emphasis.

"Sounds like you're lazy to me."

"I am lazy, I won't deny that."

"Whatever, you wanna come with?"

"Might as well, now that I'm UP." she raised her voice on the last word, making sure her parents were aware, then checked her phone. "Looks like I got a text message."

"Really? Don't care."

"Not even if it's from Timmy?" Vicky gave Tootie a knowing smile.

Tootie perked up the slightest bit at hearing her friend's (and longtime crush's) name. "What's up?" she may be dating AJ, but old habits were hard to break, and she still reflexively worried about Timmy. Or needlessly concerned herself over his well-being. Or obsessed over him.

"Hm. Let me see..."

_Hey, can't meet up today, parents taking me to a doctors appointment, sorry:(_

_Before you ask, no, it isn't serious, just a check-up. Maybe we can meet up later?_

"Eh, it's nothing. We were going to meet up today, but apparently he's going to a doctor's appointment. Oh well." Vicky shrugged her shoulders and pocketed her phone, then turned back to face Tootie, who wore a worried expression.

"Is he okay?!"

"Yeah, It's just a physical or something, calm down. You worry about your boyfriend, I'll worry about mine."

"Sorry. I guess it's just... instinct or something now, I instinctually worry about him..."

"Well don't. That's my job now."

"He's still my friend, I have to worry about him. Especially now that you're his girlfriend. In fact, I think I worry about him more now than I ever did when you just babysat him..."

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" Vicky glared at her sister.

"That I'm afraid you're corrupting my best friend."

"Corrupting? What, you think I'm trying to bring him over to the dark side? I mean, granted, we have some really good cake, but..."

"Ugh... I don't have time for this! You coming or not?"

"You buying me breakfast?"

"It's one-thirty! You're about three hours late!"

"Too bad you owe me after that little stunt at that blonde girl's party. Leaving while intoxicated? With Baldy? And driving while under the-"

Tootie slapped her hand over her sisters mouth. "Alright! I'll buy you breakfast! Now come on!" she grabbed Vicky's hand and led her out of the house and into her car.

"Wow, Mom and Dad really splurged on this thing, huh?"

"What? My car? So it's an SUV, I don't-"

"An SUV with everything on it! Heated seats, reinforced bumper, bulletproof tires, TV screens in the head rests..."

"Alright fine, it's really nice. I asked for it, just like you asked for that sporty number over there." Tootie pointed to a scarlet red sports car parked in front of the house. "Mine cost around the same as yours, I just preferred..."

"A family car."

"What?"

"You wanted a car that a mother would drive her children to school in."

Tootie blushed darkly. "Wha?! No! I-"

"Gonna name one of the kids after your favorite sister? Maybe your longtime crush?"

"I'm not having this conversation. Where do you wanna go?"

"Stop at Nasty Burger."

"For breakfast?"

"Yes, for breakfast." Vicky spoke in a mocking tone. She liked having someone drive her around for once, rather than the other way around.

After they stopped, and Vicky ordered far more than she really had any right to, they began the drive to the mall.

"You want a chicken nugget?" Vicky dangled the breaded hunk of cardiac disease in front of Tootie.

"Vicky! I'm trying to drive! Stop!" she was laughing despite the potentially dangerous situation.

"C'mon... you know you want it..."

Tootie snatched the nugget out of Vicky's hand and ate it. "Damn these are good."

Vicky sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"Timmy loves Nasty Burger..."

"So?"

"He isn't here to enjoy this with me."

"He probably would've paid for all of us if he was."

"Yeah, that's what I love about him..."

"Me too..."

Vicky glanced over at her sister. "Hands off, he's mine."

"Meh..." Tootie waved her hand dismissively at Vicky.

Upon arriving at the mall, Tootie got out of her car and ran over to AJ, who grabbed her, picked her up, and spun her around when she reached him.

Vicky got out still holding her drink and occasionally sipping from the straw. "Are you two gonna be all lovey dovey all day? I'd like to keep my breakfast down." she wore a bored expression on her face.

AJ looked at Vicky with genuine fear in his eyes and put Tootie down, then let his hands drop to his side as if he was regarding a drill sergeant. "Um... h-hey Vicky... Nice uh... nice day today, huh?"

"It'd be better if I wasn't the designated third wheel..."

"Uh... where- where's Timmy?"

"Doctor's Appointment." Tootie spoke before Vicky could.

"Oh... sorry if..."

"It's fine. Not anyone's fault... except Ricky's."

"How is it Ricky's fault?"

"Because I said so. When I don't have anyone in particular to blame, I blame him."

"Oh."

Vicky followed the couple around the mall to various different stores, they never bought anything, which indicated this was definitely a date, and she really _was_ a third wheel... "I wish Timmy was here..."

"What'd you say?" Tootie looked over her shoulder at Vicky.

"Nothing." a sour look was worming its way across her face.

"You wanna catch that new movie?"

Vicky was aware of AJ pointing at the direction of the theater, though she didn't bother looking at whatever movie he was referring to.

"I dunno... Vicky? You okay with-"

"Yeah, whatever." her voice carried an annoyed edge now.

She barely paid attention to the movie, though AJ and Tootie were clearly very much into it, holding each other close, giving each other loving looks, _crying _slightly... it was nearly enough to make her sick.

She opted for watching the movie over watching those two, and was summarily unimpressed, there was some mentioning of a woman's husband dying unexpectedly, then her health began to decline without him, and her heart eventually 'gave out' and she died. There was probably more to it than that, but she left before the movie finished. She supposed it was romantic, in a depressing sort of way.

Vicky now stood on the mall's upper level, leaning on the railing and eating a candy bar. "Broken Heart Syndrome?" that was what the woman in the movie was said to have had. "Who ever heard of something so ridiculous? I could never be like that. Being unable to have fun, being unable to _live_ without someone? Pfft... I'd never be that weak."

"Really?" Tootie suddenly appeared next to her.

Vicky simply looked at Tootie, still sporting a bored expression.

"Damn, I was hoping to surprise you, maybe get you to jump a little."

"What is it now? Don't you have to go make out with Baldy?"

"What's your problem with him? He's a great guy."

"Uh-huh, sure he is, until he breaks your heart and leaves you."

"Nice grim outlook you have there..."

"It's who I am."

"It doesn't have to be... And as for what you said? About not being like the girl in that movie? Have you looked at yourself today? You've been miserable all day since you got that text from Timmy."

"I have not-"

"Yes, you have. You can say that you aren't like her all you want, but deep down? You can barely get through a day without him, that's love right there."

"How cliché is this? The younger sister giving advice to the older one?"

"..."

"Fine you're right, I like being around him, I may even _need_ to be around him. That make you feel good?"

"Does it make you feel good? Knowing that you love someone? Someone who loves you back and you can depend on?"

"Well... yeah..."

"...Wanna head home?"

"Yeah..." Vicky sighed and followed Tootie and AJ back to the car.

The drive home was uncomfortably quiet, leaving Vicky to ponder her own thoughts. _"Am I really like that? Am I that needy? I mean, I love him sure, but..."_

"Oh! Darn it! I forgot to get those shoes I wanted!" Tootie exclaimed as she pulled into her driveway.

"Guess we better go back for them then, huh?" AJ queried.

"Nope. Don't think so." Vicky got out of the car and headed for her front door.

"Vicky? You sure you're gonna be okay?"

Vicky waved her hand dismissively, as her sister had done earlier. "I'm fine, you two go enjoy the rest of your date."

"Alright, I'm probably gonna head over to AJ's house afterward, so... see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah... make sure you use protection! I don't want some rugrat calling me 'Auntie Vicky' anytime soon!"

Tootie and AJ both turned a dark shade of red and quickly backed out of the driveway and sped off.

"Hehehe, too easy..." Vicky opened the door and looked around. "Mom? Dad?"

No response.

"Just me..."

She decided to text Timmy on the way to her room.

_I'm home now. You wanna come over?_

She sent the text as she reached her door, and heard a beeping sound from the other side. "What the?" Opening the door revealed her boyfriend fast asleep on her bed, curled up and facing away from her.

Vicky's heart fluttered at the sight, and a smile spread across her face. She carefully, and quietly, tiptoed over to her bed and climbed onto it, then over to and on top of Timmy. "Psst... Hey..."

Timmy turned over and wrapped his arms around her waist, then pulled her down so her forehead rested against his. "I was gonna surprise you, but I got tired and must've fallen asleep."

Vicky inhaled deeply, taking in his scent as an affirmation that he really was there. "I missed you today..."

"You _missed_ me?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I miss my boyfriend?"

"Well... we haven't even been apart for twenty-four hours, I'm just... surprised."

"Why?"

"You aren't exactly a touchy-feely person, it's... kinda cute, you being needy."

"I went out to see a movie with Tootie and AJ, it was kinda sappy, the main actress fell into a deep depression after her husband died and she eventually got worse and worse until she herself died, of a broken heart, no less."

"Okay?"

"After the movie, Tootie said I was just like the girl in the movie. Apparently I was in a bad mood all day and kept saying things like, 'I wish Timmy was here' and stuff like that..."

"So?"

"I guess... she's right. I was pretty miserable without you..."

"Well... we can't really be together for every waking moment, but we can certainly do our best, I don't like seeing you sad, so anytime you want, just gimme a call, as long as I'm not preoccupied like I was today, I'll head over."

"You are too sweet..." Vicky nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

"You are too... With some gentle prodding."

"To be fair, look who you're talking to, I can't go around being all needy and nice, it doesn't fit with my established mythology... and speaking of gentle prodding..." Vicky began kissing Timmy's neck as her hand crept downward.

"Er... you know... I don't have any... um..."

"What?"

Timmy turned redder. "Condoms..."

"Oh, is that all? I don't care!" Vicky greedily kissed him and began taking off her clothes.

"_Yeah, you don't care now, but when there's a little kid running around calling you 'Mommy' and Tootie 'Auntie Tootie'... well, I bet you'll change your tune..."_


End file.
